1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus for controlling window positions, the apparatus allowing the window corresponding to a selected icon on a display screen to be opened in the position in which the icon is checked with a pointing device, or in the position to which the icon is dragged with the pointing device and from which the pointing device is lifted up.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Computers used to be given instructions only in computer language. Because those who were not versed in the arcane computer-oriented language had difficulty in operating computers, recent years have seen a growing number of computers that run under special window controlling apparatuses for user-friendly window control. These apparatuses permit almost anyone easy control of the computer through the use of displayed icons that represent necessary computer functions.
In operation, the window controlling apparatus allows the user to pick one of the icons displayed on the screen. When a given icon is selected, the window corresponding thereto appears on the screen. Window controlling apparatuses come in two types: one that permits the window corresponding to a selected icon to appear over the entire screen, and the other type having each icon-associated window displayed partially on the screen. The present invention proposes an information processing apparatus for controlling window positions which belongs to the latter type.
Traditionally, there are two ways to select an icon by use of a pointing device, illustratively a pen. One way is to "check" one of the displayed icons using the pointing pen. The checking action involves placing the pointing pen down to the icon position and then lifting up the pen therefrom. That is, the desired icon is apparently "pressed" for a short period of time. The other way to select the icon is to "drag" it. That is, the pointing pen is placed on the desired icon position and is moved as held down up to a new position where a new window is to be opened.
Conventional information processing apparatuses for controlling window positions adopt exclusively one of the two icon-selecting methods, "check" or "drag." It is theoretically possible to design an apparatus that would be switched to one of the two methods as desired. However, one disadvantage of that type of apparatus is that the switching must be accomplished before the apparatus is activated. For the majority of the prior art apparatuses that rely on one of the two methods, operations carried out according to the other unadopted method are regarded as errors and all inputs intended thereby are thus rejected.
In this connection, there are also proposed information processing systems that control entry of and changes to various kinds of personal information, such as electronic address books and electronic telephone directory and schedule table devices known as organizers. Such systems are disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 621,898 having a common assignee and in the present assignee's Japanese Patent Application No. 2 (1990)-84318.
With such information processing systems, a display screen H shown in FIG. 1 is switched according to the user's selecting operation. Referring to FIG. 1, icons 1A, 1B, etc. are displayed in the upper and right hand margins of the screen H. In operation, the user puts a pointing pen, not shown, down to one of the icons (1A, 1B, etc.) on the screen and drags the pen to a suitable position thereon. This causes a window W corresponding to the selected icon to appear in the position from which the pen is lifted up. Indications in the window let the user proceed to control such personal information as schedules.
Given this kind of information processing system, the user may wish to change the display position of the window W as desired. The user may also wish to store the displayed window W.
If the user wishes to store the displayed window W, the user puts the pointing pen down to a predetermined area ARM of the window W and drags the pen to a display area ARST (FIG. 1). When the pointing pen is lifted up from the corresponding icon in the display area ARST, the window W is stored.
If the pointing pen is dragged inside an area ARDP (display area for page data) on the display screen H and is held away from the area ARST, the window W is not stored but is moved to the position from which the pen is lifted up.
As described, the operations for controlling window positions on the screen of the above prior art systems are complicated, constrained and confusing.